doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Safety on hammer gun?

From what I've seen of most hammer guns, it would be straight forwards to retrofit a safety on the upper tang similar to the safety most (American) hammerless models have with a simple slide to block the triggers.
It's something I'd consider doing if I had the machining equipment (and was experienced at using it).
Steve

That gun in the photo is a rifle. Bolted hammers on rifles with non-rebounding locks were common. Not on shotguns.

Rocketman is right so I won't repeat all he posted. Basically hammer guns have two safeties- a third one like that employed on the new Purdey hammer guns is in my opinion un-necessary.

Hammer guns are not fro everybody. If you get used to them and their peculiarities, they are fantastic. If not, stick to what you are comfortable with and competent at handling.

To attribute the use of a safety on a hammer gun to "the nanny state"or over zealous lawyers is the typical crap put forth by the less informed contributers of this board,and it is not only noxious but just plain boring.
If you have ever walked down a muddy cornrow with hammers back and gun at port arms you would know damn well its hard to concentrate on the hunting,when your next step could send you sprawling.
To keep safety first is more important than your simpering about government and lawyers

One sometimes runs into a self-cocking hammer gun. I'd think in this case a safety would be proper.

Small bore
The gun in the photo is a 12 bore shotgun - not a rifle. Unfortunatly the light was not good enough to get detailed photos of the proof marks - but they were original BP for a shotgun. The Maker was
P Webber of Bhm - of which we can find no record.
The hammers were as you see 'rebounding'. Now I could see the point of locking non rebounding hammers in the half cock position or - as in hammerless guns - possibley locking them in the cocked position - Oh I know most safeties only lock the triggers and not the hammers but you know what I mean. I think it would be as quick to cock the hammers as it would be to slide two safeties back - especially as they are set on opposite sides of the gun. I guess we will never know what Mr Webber had in mind?
John

John, there could possibly be a second set of barrels out there that might help explain the safety.

Many of the older hammer guns were developed and sold at a time when stationary hunting was the norm. In England and Europe; Driven birds of various kinds; In the US, Ducks and Pigeons that darkened the skies.
As covered above, there still exist some selected situations where hammer guns are both effective and safe.
However, they are both ineffective and dangerous in many other situations. Walking with cocked hammers is dangerous, for obvious reasons. The "safety", in this case the uncocked hammers, are not to be taken off (cocked) until the bird has flushed. That's a basic safety tenant. Try that on a Grouse or Woodcock flush.
Even at half cock, problems can and do occur. I was hunting with someone, in Grouse/Woodcock cover, when his hammer, at half cock, was put into a semi-cocked position by a small branch and then the hammer dropped and the gun fired, without his hand touching the trigger. Luckily, no one was hurt. He has never hunted with that gun again.
As I mentioned above, I have two hammer guns, and I enjoy the nostalgia of using them, but clay targets and only selected hunting situations suit such a weapon.

I have and use a Famars 28ga. self cocker and it does have a safety. It's just like having a hammerless gun, except the hammers are visible. I like the look of the hammers and appreciate the ability to hunt hammers back with the safety on! It gives the best of both hammer and hammerless worlds!! Purists may not like it--but it works for me........

I certainly accept that a non rebounding hammer - in the lowered position - can be fired by a branch which lifts it almost to the half cock and then releases it or if dropped a swift tap on the hammer could also fire the gun. To walk around with a non rebounding hammer in the lowered position would be courting disaster. In the half cock position it should be as safe as a modern gun with the safety on - or even safer - as long as it isn't worn. Most people would not do walked up shooting over here with a cocked hammer gun, either fitted with rebounding of non rebounding as both can fire if the trigger is pressed or possibly dropped, if a little worn.
I have to say I do use modern guns if I am expecting to do walked up shooting. I treat the gun like a cocked hammer gun because that is what it is. On all my guns the safety locks the triggers - not the hammers - they are only held back on a piece of metal the thickness of a finger nail - and my life depends on that bit of metal staying in engagement. Would you feel comfortable dangling at the end of a rope from a bridge, 100 feet above a gorge, with just a sear and bent linking you to the bridge? and yet we do it all the time with a gun.
Obviously no one points a loaded gun intentionally at anyone else so this is the ultimate safety procedure - but how many people on a driven day remember to slip the safety back on as soon as they have fired the gun before bringing it back down through the line - not everyone I suspect.
As an instructor I have to make everyone aware of the risks and the procedures to reduce these risks to the absolute minimum. If you have a hammer gun it can be used safely - if you follow the procedures - OK it might not be the quickest gun to use in certain situations.
If you use a hammerless (better described as a concealed hammer gun) then I make people aware that they are carrying a fully cocked gun around at all times and they must take appropriate measures to ensure they handle it safely - so if a worst case scenario happens they don't shoot someone.
John

Another variant. Some years ago I saw a Woodward , outside hammer, double rifle. It had the side safety like John's photos and a top safety, too. Hard for me to explain.